Until It Sleeps
by KaoticLadyLoki
Summary: Thanos was defeated.. but maybe not for good. Loki is trying to adjust to his new living arrangements but a new group of villains just has to come along and make it that much better.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay! So, I'm still working on Hemorrhage but this little plot bunny just won't stop hopping around in my head. So, just a few points before getting to the story.**

 **-I am not a comics/marvel movies expert. I probably have the wrong colors on things or the wrong people present for the time period, but I'm kinda just doing things the way I want them.**

 **-I have NO idea what is going to happen in Infinity War, but I have a feeling we are going to lose some beloved characters. Well, not in my fic! (**

 **-I really want to pair Loki up with someone and have three people in mind: Natasha, Wanda, or Darcy. I'm not sure how deep I'm willing to go into a relationship yet, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Would love suggestions!**

 **-Chapters will be longer. This is just the opening to get started.**

 **I think that's all for now. Okay, on with show!** **I hope you like it! If you do, comment to feed my muse! :)**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1**_

* * *

Things had drastically changed since the war waged by Thanos. In the end, the mad titan had been cast into the void with half his Chitauri army. The other half were defeated easily enough. Now, they live under the knowledge that Thanos could return, just as Loki had before. Tony Stark's equipment ever monitoring for changes or signs, they watched and waited while continuing to do what they did best.

Stark Tower was alive with activity in the wee hours of the morning, but only as the members of the Avengers dragged their bruised and battered bodies into the main living area on the 91st floor. Natasha fell onto the couch, sprawling out her legs across Clint's lap. Tony came through the bridge two floors up so FRIDAY could initialize removal of his suit. Steve sat against the wall with his shield in his lap. Banner was somewhere outside, most likely still de-hulking. Thor was lying across the carpet, arm draped over his face. Loki leaned against the window, eyes closed.

Loki had been with the Avengers for nearly three months. Willingly was not the word he would choose for the situation, though. During the battle with Thanos, Loki had not proven himself an ally. He had proven himself useful. He was detained by SHIELD soon after, his magic restrained. He was interrogated and then, once they'd finished, they had dumped him into Tony and Steve's laps. He now wore a device, like a bracelet, that kept his magic at a "by approval only" basis. Anything more than stirring his tea or flipping the pages of a book earned him enough voltage to kill a human. Therefore, unless accompanied by an Avenger or a soldier of SHIELD, he could not leave the tower. He'd be helpless against an enemy without someone to call in the use of his magic. At least he was allowed to keep his physical daggers...but only when in battle.

Thor had not been a fan of the idea, but implored Loki to cooperate. "You'll earn their trust soon enough and, with it, your freedom," he'd said. The trickster had listened, much to his internal dismay. In another prison, even after doing the right thing. Green eyes opened, tired and dim, and stared out over the city lights. He was weary and grew more so everyday. The limitations on his magic, he supposed.

"Who wants Chinese?" Tony finally emerged from the elevator, dirty and sporting a nice black eye, but otherwise, as lighthearted as ever.

A collective moan sounded in the room and Steve's shield flew by Tony's head to disappear into the closing elevator doors.

"That's a no, then?"

* * *

Tony stretched and unfolded himself from the armchair in his room, having fallen asleep in the middle of researching pocket dimensions and portals. His back would remind him not to do that again anytime soon. The billionaire shuffled to his bathroom to relieve his protesting bladder, wash his hands, and brush his teeth. He had showered before settling into research so just a clean shirt and he was on the elevator. Tony had the entire 33rd floor to himself (and Pepper, when she was home) but always chose to ride up to the shared living area on the 91st floor to socialize with the rest of the team, all of whom were probably still sound asleep, he assumed.

Each member actually occupied their own floor, aside from Loki and Thor who shared one because of Loki's probation. Sharing a common area ensured they all remained on the same page and stayed up to date. Of course, there were days when one of them would just want to be alone; they had the option. Loki was the one who usually opted out of the gatherings, feeling much like the 'black sheep' of team. Those days, FRIDAY would be entrusted to track his whereabouts and activities. Trust was still lacking in both directions and he struggled to grow accustomed to a life without free use of his magic. Tony could only hope the trickster would eventually come around, but no one on the team was willing to take that wager.

Tony scratched his hip and yawned as he exited the elevator, glancing into the empty living room as he passed. Good. They had all gone to their rooms for some decent rest. As he approached the kitchen, he found the light already on and slowly peeked inside. Loki was standing at the counter and reading the back of a box of artificial sweetener. It still amazed Tony that the wild eyed maniac deity that had tried to conquer the planet those few years ago could look so young and human. Loki sported a pair of black sweatpants and a light green long-sleeved shirt. His feet were bare, as they usually were when he was indoors. His longer hair was pulled back into a ponytail, hanging in waves to just between his shoulder blades.

"Stark." Emerald eyes never raised from their reading, but Tony was accustomed to the greeting now.

"Morning, Rock of Ages." That earned him a sidelong glare as he passed the young god. Loki hated the nicknames Tony could come up with for him...which only made the billionaire attempt to be more creative. "What're you doing up here?" Tony opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs. "Aren't you afraid you may accidentally enjoy the company?" Loki didn't reply. He simply reached in the box to take a few packets of sweetener and then walked out and toward the elevator. "Always a pleasure talking to you, Lokes!" Tony gave a mock salute with his pointer finger and then returned to making breakfast.

Loki rolled his eyes and tapped the little pink packets against his palm while he boarded the elevator. "What floor, Mr. Laufeyson?" He always opted to press the buttons instead of speaking to Stark's invisible computer. Why she insisted on called him 'Mr. Laufeyson' was beyond him. Yet, he never bothered to correct her. He wasn't sure why that was either. He leaned back against the wall, resting the back of his head on the cool surface. If he closed his eyes, it was almost felt like he could float away (and out of this nightmare). The bell sounded that he had arrived on level 84 and back to reality.

Thor was emerging from the hallway, his mouth wide in an ridiculous yawn. "Brother." Thor nodded, absently rubbing his arm as Loki returned the nod in passing but remained silent. The tension between them was nearly unbearable. Some days, Thor found it hard to breathe in his brother's presence. He wanted to rejoice in the fact that Loki had finally began down a path to redemption, but seeing him suffer, like a caged animal, day after day was agonizing. Thor had pushed him into this, but even with the good Loki was doing, the thunderer couldn't help but wonder if it was the right decision. With the remaining Aesir people being homed at SHIELD until a suitable relocation could be found, Thor felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. He became king only have his people displaced and go straight into war. He _needed_ Loki to stand with him, now more than ever. Yet… he couldn't find it within himself to blame his brother when he didn't.

Running his hand through his short, spiked hair, he followed his brother into the kitchen and chose to stand quietly in the doorway while Loki added the sweetener to his cup of tea, the spoon glowing a dull green while it stirred handlessly.

"What is it you want, Thor?" Loki was taking his seat at their large table (room for 8), opening a large, old book of some sort in front of him, never looking up.

Thor sighed. If they weren't nearly ignoring each other, they were on the floor above, in the arena, solving the day's problem with fists. Loki had been so angry only three weeks prior that he had used magic without approval, nearly squeezing the life out of Thor before the bracelet had shocked him. Thor was afraid Loki would end up in the med bay but he was finally able to rouse him. Loki had slept for two days afterward. "Come upstairs, Loki." Thor crossed his arms, smiling gently.

Loki merely sipped his tea and kept his eyes on the pages in front of him. "I've been upstairs, thank you."

"I mean now. Come up with me." Rolling his remaining eye, Thor pulled out the chair across from his brother and sat. "Have a meal with the others."

"I'd rather not." The trickster turned the page.

"Loki."

"Thor."

The Aesir king stood, not bothering to push in the chair. "You can't keep living this way, Loki. You barely eat or sleep or...or... _talk_. You have a team at your side now."

"I'm a useful tool, brother." He turned another page. "Nothing more."

Thor growled and slammed his right hand down on the pages, finally earning a green glare from underneath Loki's lashes. "Stop your theatrics! You are _not_ a tool. Not to me." They stared at each other, blue battling green, until Loki brushed his brother's hand away from his book and simply began to read again.

"Are you finished?" He asked, tilting the mug to his lips without looking up.

Thor knew when to walk away but made it a point to drive his fist into the side of the stainless steel refrigerator on his way out. Loki watched him quietly until he got into the elevator and the doors closed. With a sigh, he closed the book and slouched in the chair, rubbing a hand over his face.

* * *

"Hey!" Tony leaned and balanced on the back legs of his chair, throwing his arms open as Thor entered the kitchen. "Good morning, Goldi-" Thor narrowed his blue eye. "That one doesn't really work anymore, does it?" The billionaire put a hand to his chin in contemplation.

"Hey, Thor." Steve waved lazily from the table, his longer hair a fresh-out-of-bed mess. He scratched at the beard everyone was still getting used to while stifling a yawn. "Your brother not joining us?" The captain always asked. If anyone would be quick to befriend Loki, it would be Steve Rogers. Thor opened his mouth to answer as the skidding sound of Natasha's slippers disrupted the silence. She was still in pajama pants and a t-shirt, her black house slippers scooting with her dragging steps. She fell into the chair next to Steve and propped her elbow on the table, balancing her chin in her palm. He blonde hair was a disaster.

"Does he ever?" They both looked to Thor, who confirmed with a sad smile while sitting down with a box of pop tarts.

"Legend of the Fall doesn't really work either now…"

They all looked over to Tony, exasperated, but only for a heartbeat before Clint entered.

"Morning, all." Three hands went up in silent greetings. "Man, why does everyone look so serious?" The archer asked while reaching up for the Frosted Flakes on top of the fridge.

"Loki." All three answered in unison.

"Oh, that's nothing new." Barton replaced the lid on milk and put the jug back into the fridge, grabbing his bowl to take a bite before sitting down across from Natasha. "The guy's wound up tighter than a ten day clock."

Thor looked over questioningly while chewing. "Is that...bad?"

Natasha sighed and shook her head at her partner before laying a hand on Thor's arm. "It just means that's stressed." She wanted to be sympathetic. She really did, but it was no secret that Loki couldn't be trusted. She had seen him with his daggers, but his tongue remained his sharpest weapon. And they had all been cut at one time or another. "It will take...time." She smiled gently, a genuine caring smile that the assassin hardly showed.

"And if there is anything my brother has plenty of, it's time." He returned her smile and took another bite. The kitchen grew quiet before…

"Footloose!" Tony clapped his hands with a loud 'ha HA!' "I dub thee Footloose!"

* * *

The warehouse had been abandoned for years, only the occasional graffiti artist daring to step foot on the deserted property. Water puddled outside from the night's thunderstorm and the smell of illegally dumped garbage lingered in the air. Hauntingly quiet, yet a dull light burned from one of the broken windows.

"How much longer?" She growled, her blue hair fanning over her shoulder as she spun to continue her pacing. "I grow tired of this waiting."

"Patience." A gloved finger traced the edge of his blade from his perch in the corner of the room. "The process is delicate and must be precise. You infernal mewling does nothing to aid our comrade." He sneered at her when she turned whited out orbs on him, wide mouth drawing open to reveal yellowish jagged teeth. With a huff, she lowered to the floor, cross-legged.

"The time for action draws near, my friends." The creature at the table tapped a clawed, slender finger against the weapon lying in front of him. The table was littered with beakers, flasks, droppers, and vials, some empty while others held various colors of liquids. He raised a hand up into his line of vision, a vial of violet slime reflecting in his glowing orbs. His pointed ears perked as his lips drew back into a sadistic smile. "We are ready."


	2. Chapter 2

The day dragged on and was fortunately quite boring. Loki spent most of the day with his nose in a book, only changing where he was reading. Thor had left him at the table. He was perched on one of the lower beams separating the kitchen and living room when his brother had returned. He had moved from there to the couch to the bedroom to Thor's bedroom to balcony and now could be found against the wall right outside the elevator. Thor felt a twinge of relief when he saw the string cheese in Loki's hand, positioned close to his mouth so he wouldn't have to look away from the book across his knees. At least he was eating _something_.

"Brother," he called calmly. Loki did regard him this time, looking up from the pages without the annoyance he had bore earlier in the day. "I am going to train." Ask? Recommend? Demand? "Would you like to join me?" He had already started to turn away, expecting the decline he usually received without hesitance.

"Alright."

"You will?" Thor looked hopeful as Loki closed the book and put the last of the cheese in his mouth, chewing and swallowing while Thor stared.

"I need the practice if I'm to endure life without magic." The younger god stood and placed the book on the shelf beside the couch. "Stop gawking at me and gather your things." Thor nodded and took a step back toward the hallway before Loki paused, not quite looking over his shoulder. "Would you...call in the use of my daggers?"

"Certainly." Thor's heart constricted at the defeated look he could clearly see on his brother's face. The trickster nodded his thanks and disappeared into his room. SHIELD was out to break Loki...and they were succeeding.

Several minutes later, the brothers stood in front of a small glass case, two blue daggers lay inside, displayed like ancient artifacts. A thumbprint scanner sat on the front for obvious reasons. Thor placed his digit on the scanner and said "Approval 655324."

Seconds ticked by before FRIDAY came over the gym's speaker, _"Code Accepted. Access granted."_ and the case clicked open. Loki reached in and collected his weapons, twirling them expertly in his hands as he walked toward the middle of the mat. The arena/gym had pretty much anything the team could ask for when it came to training. There were weights and cardio machines, a large matted area for sparring, simulation room, targets for dagger/arrow/gun practice, and a large pool in it's own room toward the back.

Thor was clad in his usual workout attire of a red tank and black gym shorts while Loki donned blue athletic pants and a black t-shirt. Midgardian clothing was never very appealing to Loki, unless it was a nice tailored suit, but when he had been taken out to acquire a wardrobe, he opted for comfort over style. Besides, he was never taken anywhere that called for him to be dressed elegantly. Thor, of course, loved dressing down and would find any reason to be in nothing but his underclothes throughout the tower.

"Spar with me." Thor indicated the mat with an wave of his hand just as Loki had headed toward the targets. Loki seemed to consider the idea but then shook his head.

"It's probably unwise."

Thor frowned. "You do not need magic to spar with your brother. I will make sure you don't overstep any boundaries." Loki appeared to be torn, but ultimately turned and approached his brother, only to pass him and stab his daggers into the far corner of the mat. Thor smiled when the trickster came back to stand a few feet in front of him, motioning with a 'come at me' hand gesture. Thor began stretching his arms and twisting at the waist to open up the muscles of his core. "Do not feel bad when you are beaten. You're simply out of shape."

"I'll try to stay on your left." Loki drew himself up and tapped a finger under his right eye. That opened him up for Thor to spear at his midsection, tackling them both to the ground. When they hit the mat, Loki wrapped his long legs around his brother and drove an elbow into the soft tissue between his neck and shoulder, using the momentum to flip Thor onto his back. The trickster squirmed out of Thor's grip and backflipped into a crouch just below his brother's feet.

Thor climbed back to his feet just in time for Loki's fist to connect with this jaw. Although dazed, the thunderer shook his head clear and grabbed his brother's arm before he could pull it back, dragging him forward to land a hard punch in the gut. Loki stumbled back and fell to one knee, suddenly quite still and eerily quiet. Thor suddenly thought this may have been a bad idea and reached toward his little brother's shoulder. "Brother, are you-"

"I don't need magic to fool you." Loki was on his feet before Thor could curse him, grabbing the outstretched arm and spinning to flip the larger man over his shoulder and depositing him roughly on the mat. He grinned down at his older brother. "Idiot."

Thor swept out a leg and took Loki's feet out from underneath him, laughing at the yelp that escaped the younger god's mouth. They rolled and wrestled for a few minutes more, Thor's obvious larger build and strength giving him the advantage at such close proximity. They were grappling like two professional wrestlers when the alarms in the building suddenly roared to life. FRIDAY's voice sounded over the intercom.

 _"_ _Avengers report to headquarters immediately."_

Luckily, HQ was located inside the tower. The brothers didn't bother to change, only locked up Loki's daggers before boarding the elevator. They descended in silence, Thor contemplating what the meeting could possibly be about while Loki wished he could at least zap them into a clean change of clothes. When the doors opened, the duo marched down to the large, glassed-in meeting hall, finding everyone already seated with Tony and Steve standing at the front of the room.

"Okay, now that Tricks and Sparky have joined us," Tony clapped his hands and then waved to bring up a 3D holographic map, "several small explosions were reported near Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn."

"Doesn't really sound like our kinda thing." Clint voiced, leaning forward to put his arms on the table. "Can't the police handle this?"

"Let me finish, Robin Hood." Stark held up a hand, feigning insult at being interrupted. Truthfully, it would take a lot more than that to get under his skin when it came from this specific group. "We thought the same thing you did. That is, until the anomaly appeared."

"Anomaly?" Thor raised a brow and stepped closer to the table as Tony set about bringing up news footage. Without another word, a video appeared over the table, shot by a local news station. Close to the hospital's parking garage was a portal, large enough for the other side to be clearly seen, stars among blackness. Thor turned to Loki, who was a shade paler than usual.

"The void." He whispered.

"Exactamundo!" Tony pointed at the trickster before Steve finally spoke up.

"Which means we have one heck of an issue. Now, nothing has been reported as coming or going through that opening, so we need to get there pronto to make sure that remains the case." The Captain looked to Loki. "We're going to need some magic on this one, I think. I'll call in at least level 2 usage."

"Alright, then. Let's roll!" Tony clapped and headed toward the door, raising an eyebrow at the brothers. "You may want some leather and metal for this waltz, boys."

Thor clapped Stark on the shoulder while Loki rolled his eyes.

* * *

Thor and Tony landed next to the quinjet as Steve, Loki, Natasha, and Clint came down the lowered ramp. Banner remained on the jet, not quite willing to hulk out unless it was absolutely necessary. Tony regarded Steve through the golden eyes of his suit.

"I miss the stars and stripes, Cap."

"Not now, Stark." Steve scolded, brandishing his dark shield. "Clint, up top. I want eyes from above all over this place."

"On it." The agent shouldered his bow and ran.

"Stark, Thor, you two take the right. It will bring you up behind the portal. Loki, you're with Natasha, you two take the left."

"Oh, joy." The blonde deadpanned, shoving a clip into her weapon. Loki remained quiet.

 _"_ _No funny business."_ Came Clint's voice over the earpiece Steve ensured Loki wore. _"Remember, I can still see you even though you can't see me."_ As if to challenge his teammate, Loki turned and stared at the top of the hospital, looking directly to where Clint was perched. The trickster smirked but still said nothing as Steve continued.

"I'll go down the middle. Report if you see anything out of the ordinary. We don't know who-"

"Or what." Tony interjected, his thrusters bringing him off the ground.

"-we're dealing with."

The teams split. Loki followed Natasha into the parking garage, content to once again feel some magic flow through his veins, even at a subdued level. Steve had called in level 2 usage, which was not much beyond teleporting and his not-so-physical daggers. Level 4 was the highest possible usage, but the trickster god was almost certain he'd never see that freedom again.

"Stay close." Natasha crept along in front of him, weapon pulled and held up to the side of her face.

"I do not need protecting, agent Romanoff." He hissed, keeping his steady pace a few feet behind her.

"It's not about protecting you." She answered levelly, rounding a corner with her gun aimed. Loki caught the meaning easily enough. _'It's about keeping an eye on you.'_ No fatal incidents since his imprisonment in Avengers tower and still, no one trusted him. The prospect was seriously started to grate on his nerves. They rounded another support column just as Loki opened his mouth to retort, cut short by the squeal of a child and the terrified yell of that child's mother. Natasha lowered her weapon and immediately sought to comfort the pair while Loki crossed his arms and simply stayed out of the way. "We're here to help. Have you seen anything?"

The small boy, 4 or 5 years old, hugged his mother's legs while the woman spoke and pointed. "We heard noises… just over there… we just want out of here please."

Natasha nodded, "okay, okay. Go and don't stop for anything." She gave the mother a gentle push before pulling her weapon again and jerking her chin toward the area the woman had mentioned. Loki followed, straightening his arms and catching the hilt of the daggers that seemed to spring from his palms. As they approached the dimly lit area, a hunched figure could be seen in the corner, sparks from something in its hands. To Loki, it appeared as if they were sharpening a blade.

* * *

"FRIDAY, full scan."

Thor and Tony exited the parking garage and rounded the portal just as Steve emerged, as well. The thunderer and Captain exchanged glances while Tony awaited the results. Something felt off about the entire thing.

"Tony." Banner's voice came through his earpiece. "Are you close to the portal? I'm not showing any atmospheric anomalies."

 _"_ _Sir, I am unable to detect the signature of the portal."_ FRIDAY reported.

"Tony, do you copy?"

"Yea, Bruce." Stark's visor raised as he stepped toward the opening, extending an arm. "I got it."

"Woah, Tony, do you think that's a good idea?" Steve took a step forward to catch his comrade by the shoulder. Tony stopped but didn't turn around.

"I've got a hunch, Cap."

"A hunch?" Thor questioned, narrowing his eye.

Tony did turn then, addressing both men with eyebrows raised. "Just trust me, huh?" He faced the portal again and reached out, fingers just in front of the opening. "I sometimes know what I'm doing." Thor and Steve flinched as Stark speared his arm forward, the portal shimmering and disappearing at his touch.

"What the…" Steve murmured.

"An illusion." Thor looked disturbed. The magic reminded him of his brother's talents, but he banished the thought of betrayal. Loki had been under strict supervision, his magic subdued to near nonexistence.

"Okay, so, Houston, we have a problem." Tony flipped the visor closed.

"The portal was a distraction." Steve was looking around in obvious unease, placing himself at Thor's back.

"Yes, but from what?" The Aesir bounced from foot to foot, ready to fight.

"Why, me, of course."

The three Avengers turned toward the parking garage. A lanky figure clad in a black and white duster robe hovered just above the 2nd floor. His skin was a pale, almost resembling a leathery texture. His eyes were a piercing white on his long face that was lacking a nose. His posture was that of sheer defiance, even arrogance. His mouth widened in a wicked grin.

"I am Ebony Maw."

* * *

 _"_ _Natasha, Loki - There's some weird looking guy confronting the others."_ Clint sounded in their ears. Natasha and Loki exchanged glances before Natasha put her hand to her earpiece.

"We have our own weirdo to deal with at the moment."

 _"_ _Alright, I'm going down to see if I can-"_ Silence ensued.

"Clint? Clint, do you copy?" Natasha looked up to see Loki's expression nearly matching her own. Had they really just walked into a trap?

"Ah, the trickster and the spider."

Both heads snapped up toward the voice. The figure in the corner had moved to stand, the pale garage lights reflecting from the obvious weapon it held.

"Both of you shall prove useful to me on this day."

"Drop your weapon!" Natasha yelled, taking aim. "I won't ask twice."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, agent Romanoff." The figure sidestepped and advanced, revealing a huddled family in the corner where he had been kneeled. Hostages? "You see, I do not think I will need my precious glaive for this meeting. Everything is going according to plan." He continued to close the distance.

"Don't come any closer!" She warned, not even sparing a second before firing her weapon. There was a spark as the figure used the pole to deflect the round, sending it crashing into the concrete. He stopped and obviously regarded his weapon, his face still shadowed.

"It appears I was wrong." He stood still, calculating his next move.

Natasha kept her weapon trained on him, eyes never wavering even as she turned her head slightly toward Loki. "Loki, the hostages."

"Right." And then he was gone, materializing in a crouch next to the small family. The mother held her two small children tighter against her while the father begged him for mercy. Loki, simply rolled his eyes and reached out to grab father's forearm. He was gone but a second before reappearing in front of the woman. "I need you to let go." The mother was crying louder now, her words completely indecipherable. Loki rolled his eyes and pried her hands free of the children, taking each of the by the shoulder. When he came back, the mother's palm found his cheek so fast that it shocked even him. "You're welcome." He scowled, disappearing again. He deposited the mother outside with her children.

The process had taken less than a minute, but it was long enough. Loki reappeared behind Natasha, finding her and their guest just as he'd left them. But something had changed. Something gleamed in his peripheral. He spun, dagger placing itself in his palm, but it was too late. Something sharp pierced his lower abdomen. Bright green orbs widened and stared into the glowing white gaze of his attacker, her wicked smile widening into something maniacal as she twisted the weapon, jerking him unforgivingly.

"Hello, Loki."


	3. Chapter 3

"Loki!" Natasha spun, the new threat taking priority.

His eyes rolled down to the spear buried in his gut. It was not a fatal wound and somewhere in his panicked mind, he believed the assailant knew that. A bullet whistled past his ear as the spear was yanked free, the woman who wielded it disappearing. Loki stumbled backward, pressing a hand to his stomach to quell the bleeding. Natasha steadied him with a hand to his shoulder and they both looked to where the first enemy had stood.

"It is done, Corvus." The woman said as she approached the figure's side.

Together, they stepped into the light. The man's features were demonesque in nature, long jagged teeth revealed when he smiled. He wore a black cloak, two golden points rising from each side that would have at first appeared to have been ears. His armor was also black, riddled with golden trim. The weapon he carried was a golden glaive, a polearm weapon consisting of a blade at the end. The woman was equally as menacing. Her blue hair flowed from behind two black horns, one at each temple. She wore a bodysuit not unlike that of her counterpart, aside from the patch of white across her chest. The golden colors could be found on her sleeves. She carried a spear, the sharpness of which Loki could attest.

"Well done, Proxima." The man cooed, dragging a finger down the woman's cheek. The gesture could have been described as...loving.

"Tony. Thor. Does anyone copy?" Natasha's hand was on her earpiece, the other holding her weapon steady. "Loki's hurt and we have two hostiles on the east end of the-" The spear knocked the weapon from her grasp and grazed her right shoulder enough to make her stumble, leaving a gash at least an inch deep. Natasha fell to a knee.

 _"_ _Natasha! We're a little….preoccupied...but we'll be there as soon as we can."_ Steve sounded winded across the earpiece.

 _"_ _How bad is it?"_ Thor's voice was next, obviously concerned for his brother. _"Agent Romanoff? Loki?"_

With the newfound silence, they could hear the battle being waged outside. Loki stood stiffly over Natasha, one hand clutching his gut and the other wielding a dagger. He could feel his body's natural healing already taking place, slowly closing the wound from the inside out, but that would only benefit him if they could alleviate the current situation. Releasing his wound, he reached a dripping hand toward Natasha, intent on teleporting them out of harm's way.

"Please don't." Corvus advised sternly, but he never moved. Only widened his sadistic grin. "We're not finished here...and I had stated before that _both_ of you would be useful on this day." Slyly, he pointed upward, Loki and Natasha's eyes rolling up to follow. A small device with a red blinking light began to beep.

"Shit, it's a-" Natasha was cut off by the explosion. Loki dove for her in a final attempt to get them out as the concrete rained down. Proxima and Corvus stood back out of harm's way as the dust cleared.

"Come, our work is finished for this day." Corvus rounded the large pile of rubble, not even sparing a glance.

Proxima followed and looked back as she freed her spear from a concrete column. "Do you think they teleported."

"No." Corvus answered coolly.

"But if he dies-"

"He will not die. The mortal, maybe, but not the trickster god." He stopped and cast a glance over his shoulder. "Now, summon Ebony. We are done here." Proxima curled her nose at being ordered about but did as was requested.

* * *

Natasha coughed, her lungs burning from all the dust. She could barely see but reached a hand up, expecting to feel rock and debris, instead she felt leather. "Loki?"

"I'm...here." His voice was hoarse, strained.

"Loki, I can't...see anything. Are you hurt?" Her shoulder was on fire and her body warned her of several bruises she would be sporting if she survived this mess.

"No more...than before." She felt him shift above her. "Not...yet." Well, that was encouraging.

"Talk to me. I can't tell what's happening." She urged, beginning to feel around her. She was flat on her back, debris to her left and above her head. Loki was hovering over her but not touching her, aside from his knees against her hip.

"Keeping...it off.."

"What?" She coughed again and cautiously reached up. She found Loki's shoulder and, above that, debris. "Oh my God…" Loki was holding the rubble off of them. She knew he was strong but… Her green eyes widened. "Loki, are you using magic."

"No," he answered quickly. A beat and then, "yes."

"Shit!" Natasha put her hand against her earpiece. "Does anyone copy? Tony! Thor! Steve! Anyone!" Twisting her head, she could see the small green light on Loki's bracelet. If that turned red… "I need authorization on Loki's current level. I repeat, authorize Loki's current level! Do not shock him!"

 _"_ _Natas….we are…can you…."_ It sounded like Steve but she couldn't tell through the static.

"Loki, are you okay?" She asked, her hand still positioned against her ear.

"I could...do this...all day…"

She heard the shift before she felt it, a strained cry from above her as he was pushed down a little more.

"Hang in there, Loki." She could hear him sucking in breaths between clenched teeth. "They'll find us soon."

* * *

"Natasha! Can you hear me!" Tony flew through the garage. "I don't like this. I can't get either of them on the radio."

 _"_ _Barton was down, but he's okay."_ Steve informed across the radio. _"We're on our way."_

 _"_ _Same with Banner."_ This time, it was Thor's voice.

"Alright, everyone to the east end of the parking garage." Tony instructed, thrusters dissipating to lower him to the ground. It was a mess. They had heard the explosion just before that Ebony Maw character had bowed out, leaving them even more confused. "Nat! Loki!" Stark called, his visor flipping up. As he walked, he looked up to see through the hole in the floor above and started when his metal boot sent something skidding across the concrete. _'Natasha's gun…'_ As he stared at the weapon, realization washed over him and left him nauseous. "Oh my God…" He began to dig through the rubble almost frantically, careful not to take some of the bigger pieces that would cause the formation to collapse. "Guys, I need some help and fast!"

* * *

Natasha could hear the trembling in Loki's strained breathing. There was another shift and he came down another half inch, screaming hoarsely. Nat wanted to help but was clueless as to what she could do. The graze in her shoulder was still bleeding sluggishly, but it was enough to start holding an effect over her wellbeing. Her head was swimming and she felt nauseous. She wanted to complain, even just groan, but Loki had been stabbed in the stomach and was now the only thing that sat between her and a really, really bad day. "Loki!" She cried, feeling him flinch. "Your stomach!"

"It's...fine…" He ground out. Natasha, of course, ignored him and angled her body toward him as far as she could in their limited space. She began at his chest and felt her way down to his lower abdomen. He hissed when her palm found the wound but she pressed down against it.

"Hang on, okay. They're going to find us."

Loki said nothing and just concentrated on keeping the shield up. His limbs ached and he was swallowing convulsively to keep from being sick on his companion. He doubted that would go over well no matter what predicament they were in. He was shaking so badly at this point, that his magic began to make static noises. He knew his concentration was wavering with his battle to stay conscious.

"Oh God." Natasha breathed and Loki found himself searching out her eyes. It proved to be a futile attempt. "Loki, your bracelet." He barely had time to see the flashing red light and felt the Widow move as far away as she could before the first round of electricity hit him. His veins felt like they would explode beneath his skin, his vision came and went, and while he focused on the shield instead of the pain, he could still hear Natasha calling his name and pleading into her radio. "Stop! You're going to kill him! You're going to kill _us_!"

She knew the moment it was over because the rubble shifted again, this time bringing Loki less than an inch away from her. His breaths were coming in rapid bursts and she could feel sweat dripping onto her face from his shakin form above her. There was no time to evaluate him before he was shocked again. This time was more difficult to maintain his flow of magic, small pieces of debris falling around them from holes in the shield. Loki could feel blood trickling from his nose and even felt something flowing from his ears.

"Stark! Thor! _Anyone!_ "

* * *

 _"_ _Anyone!"_

By this time, the rest of the team had joined in the effort to unbury their companions. Clint froze and put his hand to his ear. "Natasha! Nat, can you hear me?"

 _"_ _Clint? Clint, do you copy?"_

"I copy, Nat. Are you hurt?" He bent and continued to move pieces as big as possible, certainly not the size of the ones Thor, Stark, and Steve were manhandling.

 _"_ _Listen, I need you to call in to abort the protocol on Loki's magic! I can't reach HQ!"_

"Are you _insane?!_ " Clint barked, straightening with a particular look of shock. "He'll kill you!"

"They're killing _him_ , Clint! And right now, _he_ is the only thing keeping me from being buried alive! Call it in!"

"Damnit!" Clint dislike Loki for obvious reasons. Finding out that Loki had been under Thanos' persuasion while controlling his mind had melted away a portion of the anger. However, Loki had chosen to follow through. He had chosen Barton as his minion and gave him nightmares he would never be able to forget. Forgiveness was just not in the cards.

"Are you kidding, Barton?" Steve's disappointment was apparent, his blue eyes bearing down on the archer as he walked past him, activating his own communicator. "This is Captain Rogers. Shut down the bracelet on Loki immediately." He was silent for a moment before he received a response that apparently HQ had sent only to him. "I don't care what it takes, shut it down _now_ or you'll have casualties on your hands if you don't already!"

"I see them!" Stark called from around the pile. The rest of the team rounded to join him and began to dig at the same spot, able to see Natasha's boots. "Natasha, we've almost got you!" Tony reached in and tapped her ankle.

"Hurry!' Came the muffled response. They dug faster opening enough room to be able to pull the Widow through. "Loki, stay with me, okay? You have to stay awake." They could hear her encouraging the trickster and knew their time was running short. Without warning, Tony reached in and grabbed Natasha's ankles, pulling her feet first out of the opening. She fell heavily against him, coughing and bracing her aching shoulder. "Get...get him out!"

Thor was already reaching in, his fingers wrapping around Loki's wrist just as the trickster's strength ran out. Thor pulled with all his might, falling backwards with Loki landing on top of him just as their little den caved in.

"Brother? Loki, are you alright?"

"Took you..long enough." Loki breathed, rolling off his brother and pushing himself up to stand unsteadily. His normally tame hair was knotted, dusty, and sticking to his sweat-drenched neck. The stomach wound was still bleeding through his fingers as he attempted to maintain pressure. His bleeding ears continued to ring and he could taste copper from the blood flowing down the back of his throat from his nose. The younger god swayed and looked like he was barely holding onto consciousness. Thor could see the tremble in his frame from where he stood. "Did you see them?"

"Them?" Steve asked, crossing his arms.

"The demon and his witch." Loki's shoulders dropped. His insides were at war, the urge to collapse currently defeating the need to vomit. "It was strange."

Steve looked to Natasha for clarification. "It was a man and a woman, more or less. Definitely not human." She was leaning heavily on Tony at this point, her voice rough from the dust. "He was holding our attention while she surprised us. She stabbed Loki," she indicated the trickster's stomach with a lazy hand gesture, "and then they buried us an left. I don't think they were trying to kill him."

"I don't know about that." Tony raised an eyebrow, watching Loki's eyes become dull and unfocused. "He looks half dead right about now."

"Call in a recon team, Barton. Get this area secure and cleaned up." Steve picked up Natasha's gun and handed it to her. "Let's get these two some medical attention."

"Good idea." Loki wheezed, his eyes rolling back as he collapsed in a heap.


	4. Chapter 4

Natasha stood outside the med bay, staring through the glass at Banner while he tended to Loki. The trickster god was no longer unconscious, but simply asleep. His stomach, while still tender, had mended itself before they arrived back at the tower. Thor had carried him, cradled like precious cargo, the entire journey back. It had taken minutes but seemed like hours.

"How is he?" She asked as the glass door slid open. Banner pulled off the gloves and tossed them into the garbage by the door as he exited. He gave her a tired smile.

"He'll be fine. I've got some fluids going right now, just to keep him hydrated while he rests." He patted her good shoulder. "He'll be back to brooding in no time flat. Now, how are you?"

Natasha didn't bother trying to smile. "I'm alive, thanks to him."

"Yea," Bruce agreed, both looking in on the sleeping god. "I think it's time to reevaluate the restrictions on his magic."

"Not everyone would agree."

"It's a tough call, Natasha." Bruce began to walk away, stopped by her gentle hand on his arm. He turned to question her, but was met with her lips on his. He felt his blood began to heat in his veins, his pulse pounding in his ears. But it wasn't the 'other guy.' It was an entirely different monster. She pulled back, but kept her forehead to his. They stood in silence before Bruce tested his voice. "Are," he cleared his throat, "...are we okay?"

She nodded, her green eyes looking brighter than usual. "We are," The agent cupped his cheek and forced a smile, "but if you ever disappear like that again, Bruce, I'll…" The words died on her lips. "Just don't do that again, okay?" The conversation he had dreaded and avoided for months had come and gone so quickly and painlessly.

Banner took her hand and brought it to his lips. "I'll try my best." He smiled and, together, they headed upstairs to brief Thor on Loki's condition.

* * *

He groaned as consciousness took hold, unfortunately bringing with it that incessant ringing in his ears and the pain of the myriad of injuries he had surely sustained. The bright lights of the med bay pierced through his lids and he instantly knew better than to open his eyes, lest they be assaulted. Maybe, just maybe, if he tried hard enough, he could go back to sleep.

"You've finally decided to wake up." He knew that voice.

"Val." He croaked, bringing his arm up across his eyes. The IV pulled uncomfortably with the movement. "Why are you here?"

"Your brother is meeting with the SHIELD or SHAFT idiots today regarding relocation." That really didn't answer his question. He peeled one eye open to look at her from under his arm. "He asked me to babysit you." Ah, there it was. Predictable Thor.

"You can go." He yawned and sat up, squinting against the lights as he pulled the IV from his vein. Blood from the small puncture rained down on the white sheets, some even managing to hit his t-shirt. If it bothered him, he didn't express it. "I'm well enough." He threw the blankets aside and shifted to dangle his long legs off the side of the bed. Val was watching him warily.

"Don't be more stupid than usual." She warned with no real harshness. "You look like shit."

"Please, tell me how you _really_ feel." The trickster rubbed absently at the newly healed wound on his stomach. He felt sore, tired, and a little nauseous, but not all that bad, all things considered.

"You look like _hammered_ shit." She tipped a bottle (had she been holding that the whole time?) to her lips with a smirk. Valkyrie watched him carefully as he moved to stand, his legs visibly shaking under his weight. He appeared to be steady at first, so she leaned back in the chair and propped her booted feet where he had been sitting. He was in a plain black t-shirt and flannel pants, and, though it was odd to see him without armor, she had to admit that Midgardian clothing did not do him injustice. She herself was sporting a blue tank and faded jeans, having been taken shopping by the one they called Black Widow. It had been an...interesting day.

Loki nearly made it to the door before his legs gave out. He crumbled onto the the floor and glared when Val nearly spit out her mouthful. " _Really_?" He barked, motioning toward the bottle. She merely shrugged.

"Priorities, highness. Besides," she took a swig and drew the back of her hand across her mouth, "I _did_ tell you not to be more stupid than usual." He was struggling to his feet again while she watched. At some point, she began to feel a bit guilty, so she quickly emptied the bottle of Midgardian alcohol and sat it aside. "Up." She encouraged, hooking her hand under his right arm. He stood rather easily with her assistance. Of course, he was silent and nodded his thanks, being allergic to gratitude and all.

"Did my brother have a resolution to propose at this meeting?" Loki asked. He slowly walked from the med bay with Valkyrie close behind. She moved around and ahead of him to press the button for the elevator while he approached.

"Of course not." She smiled and crossed her arms. The duo boarded the elevator, Valkyrie pressing the button for the 91st floor. They had several floors to climb in the nifty metal lift, so she took a moment to really regard the prince at her side. His skin was paler than usual, but she had been told he had lost some blood, and she supposed electrocution wasn't great for the health either. His posture was off, shoulders dropped forward. Otherwise, he didn't look too horrible. Sometimes, the trickster could be impressive. Loki would have agreed with the observations if it weren't for the nagging pain in his gut. It had started small, simply tender and annoying, but the more he moved, the more it bothered him.

The doors slid open to reveal a huddled mass of Avengers, whispering dying down as the trickster and the warrioress stepped out. "That isn't unnerving at all." Loki deadpanned as all eyes turned toward them. His jaw dropped a little when Thor peaked out from behind the group. "I was informed that you were at a meeting, brother." He leaned his head back and looked over at Val accusingly.

"He was." She shrugged and walked toward the kitchen. "I may have been less than honest regarding the subject of that meeting." She waved a hand dismissively and disappeared into the other room.

Loki suddenly felt the need to run, his stomach churning, anxiety spiking. Thor seemed to sense it. The thunderer held up his hands and walked around the group toward his brother. "All is well, brother." Loki visibly relaxed, but not entirely. "I believe you will be pleased."

It was Tony that approached next. "Alright, Reindeer Games, here's the deal. We have decided to let you in the club, membership fees waived."

"Not all of us."

" _Thank you_ , Clint." Tony yelled with a roll of his eyes. "Anyway! The first rule of fight club is you do not talk about fight club." The genius reached for Loki's arm while the young god looked on, utter confusion showing blatantly on his pale face. "To cut to the chase: welcome aboard...for real." Tony held up a hand, clutching the bracelet that had proven to be the bane of Loki's existence.

Before he could comment, Loki inhaled deeply and closed his eyes as magic began to flow freely from his core, scorching his veins and filling his senses. Orbs afire with bright green energy opened. When the energy died down, Thor saw a clearness in his brother's eyes that had been absent for months. However,

Tony snapped another bracelet on the preoccupied god, earning a completely exasperated glare. "Before you go all diva on me, this isn't to limit you."

"It's to watch you." Steve added from where he stood with the others. "You can't expect us to trust you completely just yet...but you've made progress. No one can deny that." They all looked to Barton, who rolled his eyes and turned his back to them. The Captain turned back. "You're doing well, Loki. We wanted to show you that we notice."

"Plus, we had to give SHIELD _something_." Banner added. Loki visibly flinched. "Don't worry. It's strictly for observation. They can't shock you. It almost cost us dearly, so we wouldn't budge on that negotiation."

The trickster's eyes flicked over to Natasha, who nodded but allowed the corner of her mouth to twitch into a quick smile. Her arm was still bandaged. Loki returned the nod, nothing needing to be spoken. His fingers were beginning to twitch, an itch to just allow the dam to break and release the intense magic that was returning...well, it was hard to ignore. Without a word, he hit the elevator button with his elbow and stepped into it backwards. The doors closed on a bewildered bunch.

"Um, should we…?" Tony pointed at the elevator, but was looking at Thor.

"No," the Aesir King smiled, "Loki is overwhelmed and handled it in his usual manner. He will not betray this trust. Not after everything he's been through to get here." _'I hope…'_

The tower trembled only minutes later, filling their hearts with dread. Tony immediately lifted a tablet into a view and tapped a few times on the screen. Pursing his lips, he flipped the screen for all to see. "He's in the arena. Acting like a normal deity that just received the gift of his magic back." Loki was clearly visible on the screen. He was now in his green and black leathers in the simulation room, summoning daggers and spells to incapacitate the several large minotaur-like creatures.

Thor made his way down to the arena to stand, arms crossed, outside the simulation room. The screen on the wall enabled him to see what was happened inside. Loki was all over the place; teleporting, shifting, cloning, but more importantly, he was grinning like the cat that got the canary. It was a complete shift from the shell of a man Thor had grown accustomed to seeing in the tower. However, Thor was not naive enough to assume that this meant Loki would be reliable. He was the god of mischief, lies, and chaos. He had never been one to disappoint in those areas.

The simulation began to fade as the last projection fell at Loki's daggers. He approached the door, a little out of breath, but otherwise looking and feeling better than he had in months. He could feel Thor's presence just on the other side, but couldn't find it in him to be bothered. When the simulation had ended, the lights came on and the door slid open. The god of thunder stepped aside to allow him to exit.

"How do you feel?" The older asked, smiling so brilliantly that Loki could see it in Thor's single blue eye.

"Normal." The trickster held up his last dagger, twisted his hand expertly, and then weapon was gone. Loki smiled, his trademark toothy grin that was full of mischief and mirth. "Now, let's spar, brother. I believe you may find me-" He stumbled forward when the first surge of pain raged through his abdomen. It was gone just as quickly as it had come on, leaving him clutching his midsection and gasping for air.

"Loki?" Thor's hand was on his shoulder, though Loki wasn't sure when his brother had moved that close to him.

The trickster cleared his throat and tested his posture, straightening slowly to see if the pain would return. When it didn't, he brushed off Thor's hand and smiled. "I believe you may find me once again a worthy partner." He finished.

"Perhaps another time." Thor watched his brother shrug and turn away to head for the exit. _'What just happened?'_

Once the door to the elevator closed, Loki raised a hand to his face and placed his fingertips to his forehead. His magic scanned him from head to toe with no abnormal results. "How odd." He whispered. He felt a slight twitch of the muscles in his abdomen before the next wave of pain, nearly doubling him over. It was over even more quickly than the last and less intense, but Loki was still unnerved.

 _"_ _Mr. Laufeyson, do you require assistance?"_

Straightening with even more pause than last time, he cleared his throat and looked up toward the lights, searching out and finding the small camera. "No, why would you think that?"

 _"_ _You're increased heart rate indicated that you may have been in some sort of distress."_

The trickster's mouth silently formed an 'O' and he folded his hands in front of him. "And you would know that from this nifty bit of jewelry Stark gifted me with, I presume?"

 _"_ _That is correct, Mr. Laufeyson."_

"Please stop calling me that." He knew it sounded like an extremely unrefined whine, but he really couldn't bring himself to care. He suddenly felt so very tired. Had he overexerted himself? It was doubtful but not out of the realm of possibility.

 _"_ _Do you prefer Odinson?"_

"I _prefer_ Loki." The prince rolled his eyes. There was a beat of silence while Loki pressed the button for the 84th, deciding against see the Avengers tonight. There was a _ding_ and the door slid open.

 _"_ _Will there be anything else, Mr. Laufeyson?"_

Stark would definitely be unhappy about that camera.


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm telling you that something _is not right_."

Thor followed Tony into the kitchen. The Aesir king had been concerned for his brother ever since the episode outside the simulation room. He secretly feared that his overprotectiveness of the younger god was finally reaching a limit. He needed someone, anyone, to assure him that Loki was well.

"So, little brother gets a tummy ache and we should go into hysterics?" Stark was clearly not a morning person. Thor had knocked on his door at 6am in a panic - a panic of which Tony was still trying to make sense. He hadn't even had a cup of coffee yet. "He owes me a camera, by the way."

"He's still asleep, Tony." The god leaned onto the counter, resting forward on his forearms. "How often have you seen _Loki_ sleep past dawn?"

The billionaire powered on the coffee pot and inhaled the aroma as it began to fill the room. "He just got ungrounded yesterday. And from the footage, it looked like he had an excellent time reacquainting himself with it." Thor continued to stare at him. Tony sighed. "He's probably just tired." The engineer drummed his fingers on the counter, willing the coffee to brew faster. It wasn't until he looked - _really looked_ \- at the god that he felt his annoyance melt away.

Thor looked like he hadn't slept a wink. His was staring at the countertop, looking lost and concerned. The king had always held his brother close to his heart, even when the younger had wanted nothing more than to drive a knife through it. Now, after so long apart with so much anger, betrayal, and loss littering their path to a somewhat decent relationship, Thor had Loki at his side once again. Never trustworthy - _heavens no_ \- but he was there, fighting for and protecting the planet he had once meant to conquer. Tony assumed he couldn't blame the elder brother for being a bit overbearing. He sighed. "Alright, send Loki to see me once he wakes up. I'll have FRIDAY run some scans and we'll have Bruce do a blood workup. Will that put mother hen back in her coop?"

Thor smiled, radiating gratitude in his tired blue eye. "Thank you, Stark." Tony's mouth twitched a smile as he waved the god off and turned to reach for the coffee pot as Thor jogged back to the elevator. As the doors closed, he could hear the billionaire's exclamation of "finally, sweet caffeine!"

Arriving back on his own floor, Thor had hoped to be greeted with signs that his brother was up and about. No such luck. The curtains were still drawn, the lights still off. The thought crossed his mind to wake Loki, but he quickly dismissed it. What if the trickster _was_ simply tired? Receiving full use of his magic after months of limitation could have been taxing. He decided to return to bed himself, having slept uneasily the previous night.

As he approached his room, another possibility, nearly as unpleasant as thinking his brother ill, passed through his subconscious. He paused outside Loki's door and reached for the knob. He couldn't ask another favor from Tony, so he turned his wrist and pushed. The soft light from the hall filtered into the room as the door opened. His brother's room was plain, as Loki did not think of the tower as a home. It contained merely a dresser, a bookshelf, and the prince's bed, which indeed appeared to be occupied. Thor's lips tightened into a thin line. He wanted to be able to say that seeing the lump under the blankets and the dark hair splayed across the pillow was enough, but this was Loki; the deceiver, the trickster, the god of mischief and lies. Illusion to Loki was child's play, especially now that his powers had been restored.

He approached as quietly as possible, only giving pause when he was hovering over the figure on the mattress. This _had_ to be an illusion. It was nearly impossible to sneak up on Loki. Thor reached for his brother's shoulder, resolute in the notion that his hand would pass through and the clone would dissipate. His palm was met by soft, warm flesh and, only now, could he hear the even, steady breathing. Loki had not fled the tower. He was truly in bed and sound asleep.

It was nearly as terrifying as it was reassuring.

Thor pulled back his hand as if it'd been burned. This was definitely not good. With the little bit of light in the room, he could see his brother, sleeping peacefully. Nothing _looked_ out of the ordinary. Thor sighed, stepping backwards toward the door. He would indeed allow Loki to rest, just in case, but his brother _would_ yield to the testing. He would make sure of it.

* * *

It was just before noon when Loki finally emerged, tying back his hair as he entered the kitchen. Thor had already slept, awoke, and was eating the last of a box of pop tarts. "Brother." He greeted, his tone laced with concern. The prince looked pale but otherwise fine. "How are you feeling?"

Loki quirked a brow as he retrieved a banana and set to removing the peel. "Tired, but otherwise fine."

"You're still tired?" Thor rose from the table, brow drawn together. Loki regarded him cautiously, suddenly feeling like he was treading on dangerous ground.

"Yes, brother." Realization caught up with him as he took the first bite of the fruit in his hand. With a dramatic roll of his eyes, he swallowed before speaking. "I'm fine. It's simply a side effect of the extended suppression of my magic. I need only time." This was all _so_ Thor. It irritated and comforted the trickster all at once. His brother's constant need to ensure his safety and well-being was both a blessing and a curse.

Thor nodded and crossed his arms. He obviously wasn't buying it. "Then you'll have no problem allowing Stark and Banner to perform a few tests?"

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Absolutely not." Loki tossed the banana peel in the trash and moved to stand on the opposite side of the table, crossing his arms to mirror his brother. "I'll not have them poking and prodding at me like some science experiment." He spun on a heel and exited the kitchen.

"It's not experimentation, Loki." Thor dropped his arms and rounded the table to follow Loki into the living room. "We only want to ensure you're well." Loki was already sitting on the couch, opening the book he had been reading the previous day.

"Then _believe me_ when I say that I am."

"But you lie." Thor retorted. He smiled nervously when Loki cast him an exasperated glare. "Well, you _do_ lie." Another eyeroll and then Loki looked back to his book. "Just humor me, brother." The younger god looked up and ahead at nothing as Thor took a seat next to him.

" _Fine_ , Thor." He slapped the book closed but left it on his lap. "But when these _tests_ show nothing, you'll feel like the utter fool I already know you to be."

"Come," Thor stood and gestured toward the elevator, "let's get on with it, then."

"What? _Now_?"

Thor grinned and Loki was overcome by the urge to punch him square in the jaw. "The sooner we get the results, the sooner you may call me a fool."

The prince stood and glided toward the elevator with a heavy a sigh. "I already call you a fool." Thor placed himself at his brother's side, standing tall with his hands folded in front of him. As the doors closed, he jabbed Loki in the ribs with his elbow. " _Real_ mature, Thor."

* * *

The brothers were informed that Tony was in the middle of modifying the newest version of his suit when they arrived in the common area. Banner, however, was more than willing to draw some blood for the tests he could run. Loki followed him to his lab in the basement and watched with no real interest as the good doctor inserted the needle into a vein below the crook of his elbow.

"What exactly are you testing?" Tube after tube was filled, leaving Loki to wonder if some of the blood _wasn't_ indeed for experimentation.

Banner looked up over his glasses, but only for a beat before looking back to the god's arm. "We're going to check your white blood cell count, glucose levels, liver function, and...oh, hey, do you think you can pee in a cup?"

Loki's jaw dropped. "I beg your pardon?"

"Of course, he will!" Thor's voice echoed from just inside the laboratory door.

Loki glared at his brother as Bruce removed the needle and placed a cotton ball over the small puncture, guiding the tricker's other hand to hold it in place. "Bend your elbow."

Loki obeyed automatically, never looking away from the Aesir king. "I agreed to a scan and blood tests, Thor!"

"Pee in the cup, Loki."

"I most certainly will not!"

"You will."

"I won't."

"You will."

"There is absolutely no way that I am doing _anything_ with that cup."

 ** _-5 minutes later-_**

Bruce held up the urine sample, taking notes regarding time, amount, and color.

"I hate you." Loki scowled from the chair, blue medical tape wrapped around his arm to hold the cotton in place until it stopped bleeding. Thor stood beside him, grinning.

" _Sure_ you do, brother." He clapped Loki on the shoulder. "Come, let's go wait for Stark. You'll let us know what you find, Bruce?"

"Of course." The doctor was already looking through his microscope, waving at the brothers while deep in concentration. If Thor didn't know better, he would swear Banner had a medical degree. He knew enough to aid with injuries and basic medical examinations, which was great for a team such as theirs. The brothers boarded the elevator and began the ride in silence. Just when Thor opened his mouth, the alarms began to sound throughout the building, the elevator lights switching to a blinking red.

 _Intruder Alert - Intruder Alert - Intruder Alert_

"Where?" Loki asked, looking to where the camera had once been. He knew the AI could still hear him.

 _"On the 93rd floor,...Mr. Loki."_

Thor glanced to his brother just in time to see the ghost of a smile. "FRIDAY, take us up."

 _"Right away, Mr. Odinson. Sir and Captain Rogers are attempting to negotiate with the hostiles. Might I suggest stopping on the 84th for more appropriate attire?"_

"Don't bother." Loki waved a casual hand, enveloping himself and his brother in his magic. When the light faded, they stood in front of the elevator on the 93rd floor. Thor was in his normal gear while Loki donned his older green and black leathers. Thor turned to comment on the old look, just as his brother clutched his abdomen with a sharp cry. His other hand shot out to steady himself against the wall.

"Loki?" Thor carefully gripped the prince's shoulder, noting the way the younger god breathed harshly through his nose.

"I'm fine. Told you….just….need time." He was finally able to catch his breath, but remained doubled over, hands resting on his thighs.

"Brother, you are not fit to fight should the situation call for it. Go downstairs and I shall-"

"I believe the guest of honor has arrived!"

Loki quickly straightened, swaying slightly as he searched for the source of the voice. Unable to see the bridge from where they stood, the brothers walked through the interior and stepped out onto the landing, finding Stark already suited and hovering above a jean-clad Captain Rogers. Both were looking toward the brothers.

"I think you have a fan club, Rudolph." Stark nodded his helmeted head toward the bridge, Loki's eyes following the gesture. He recognized two immediately; they were the creatures from the parking garage. The other he had not seen before, but he could only assume that he had been the one to attack his brother and the others.

"Hello, god of mischief," The one called Corvus spoke, stepping out to stand in front of the other two. "I believe it's time we had a little chat."


	6. Chapter 6

"Hello, god of mischief, I believe it's time we had a little chat." Corvus hefted his glaive to rest across his shoulders. "It's time for you to remember."

"Remember what, exactly?" Loki asked, moving forward a couple of steps. An eerie silence fell over the landing, the trickster's eyes narrowing as he locked gazes with the creature on the bridge. For several moments, no one moved. No one spoke.

Until Tony had enough.

"Okay, I really hate to interrupt this incredibly _intense_ staring contest, but can someone please tell me what _the hell_ is going on here?!" His visor flipped up as he landing next to Steve, both men looking to Thor, who could do nothing but shrug.

The woman (Proxima, as Natasha had said) laughed menacingly, crouching to one knee to address the men below. "Corvus is rekindling the connection. Much time has passed so it is not as easily accessed as it has been in the past."

"The connection?" Steve shook his head, brow knitted. "What connection?" To his right, he heard Loki gasp. The trickster's eyes appeared to roll back and fade into a sightless glowing white, his body going rigid.

"Brother?" Thor glared daggers at their enemy, but stepped around to grab Loki's shoulders, shaking him fiercely. "Loki, answer me!" The prince's lips were curled back, revealing teeth clenched so tightly, Tony thought they may actually shatter under the strain. Veins began to bulge in his neck. Fingernails drew blood from his own palm. "Loki!"

The scream that tore from Loki's throat was unlike any Thor had ever heard in all his centuries.

"LOKI!"

* * *

" _I must say, little prince, you are quite impressive." Corvus stood above the prone god, dragging the very tip of his glaive across Loki's bare thigh. The trickster grunted as the skin broke, but he refused to give them what they wanted. He refused to be broken "Thanos commends your stubbornness against his Chitauri generals."_

 _Dull green eyes followed the creature's movements, wide but emotionless. Loki turned his head as the glaive was placed against his jugular. He breathed hard through his nose, screwing his eyes shut but remaining silent. The cold metal was abruptly pulled away, a clawed hand roughly gripping his chin to force his gaze back to Corvus._

" _I'm not a pathetic Chitauri soldier and you_ will _scream for me!"_

 _Loki's eyes shot open wide, a gasp escaping his lips as the sharp steel pierced just above his left hip, slicing all the way to the right before Corvus allowed the weapon to fall to the floor. The monster forced Loki to face him as he drove his hand into the wound, pulling at any organ or tissue his claws could grip. The trickster could feel his intestines being pulled from his body, acid and blood creeping up his throat. The claws pushed past his stomach, his ribs, his lungs, and clutched his heart, squeezing just enough to diminish his resolve._

 _And Loki screamed._

 _Red hot pokers to his feet and genitals. Hanging by meathooks through his shoulder blades._

 _Loki screamed._

 _His skin filleted. Bones shattered._

 _Loki screamed._

 _He was beaten. He was burned. He was raped. He was taken to the bring of death and then yanked back for his magic to heal him so it could all happen again._

 _Loki could no longer scream._

 _So he broke._

 _He begged._

 _He obeyed._

" _Finally, the prince sees the truth." A booming voice echoed in his broken mind. "You are not worthy of death. You are not worthy of life. You exist only to do my bidding. Now, slave general,"_

 _Loki's mind was no longer his own, everything tinted blue._

" _Bring me the tesseract."_

* * *

He was still screaming when Thor's worried face came into focus, strong hands gripping his shoulders tightly. His knees nearly buckled. If not for Thor's hold, he would have surely sank to the ground. Pride be damned, he didn't have the strength to hold his weight. Loki snapped his mouth closed and looked to Thor, fear etched into his emerald eyes, and then to the trio on the bridge.

"Corvus...Proxima...Maw…" He murmured while attempting to pull away from his brother, who held fast.

"Loki, you know them?" Concern was threaded deep in Thor's tone. He moved to Loki's side and wrapped a strong arm around the younger's waist to ensure he remained standing. The prince could feel all of their eyes upon him. Banner and the Valkyrie had joined them, standing just outside the door. Just as he opened his mouth, Corvus threw back his head in hardy, malicious laughter that sent a chill down Loki's spine.

"Of course he knows us!" He took a step forward and Loki instinctively attempted to take one back, but Thor held him in place. Corvus leveled his glaive at the trickster. "It was I who broke him when Thanos' Chitauri vermin had failed. We had some intimate times together, the sorcerer and I."

"Hold your tongue, demon!" Thor bellowed, pulling Loki tighter against his side. It nauseated the younger to appear so frightened and weak.

"Ah, the mighty Thor." Corvus chuckled, lowering his weapon. "He called for you many times."

It was the Captain who stepped between the enemies and the brothers. He had seen Thor tense and knew the Aesir would react to such knowledge if goaded properly.

"We all knew Loki had been controlled by Thanos. Yet, when we met at the parking garage, he mentioned nothing of knowing you. It's obvious that Loki-"

Loki flinched. He hadn't _remembered_ but why should the Avengers believe him? How could they _not_ think he had set them up given his history?

"-would not betray us. So, tell me, why did he have no memory of the three of you?"

He wanted to smile, to thank the Captain for the trust, but he remained still, knowing better than to attempt speaking at the moment. He, himself, could not promise that he'd never betray his newfound frie-comrades in arms, but he was trying. Thor had told him he could be so much more than mischief and chaos. And damnit, he was trying.

"We confiscated those memories after the beast left him shattered in this tower. You see, Captain," Corvus leapt from the bridge and onto the landing. "We are plan B." He spread his arms as Proxima and Maw leapt down to join him.

"So….Corvus, was it?" Steve could tell from how Tony's viser had closed, by his silence that he was calling for backup. They only needed to stall for as long as possible...and get as much information as they could. "Why force Loki to remember? What do you gain?"

"Other than some sort of sick satisfaction." Tony finally spoke again.

"We needed him to remember, so that when we attack, he will fight with all he has."

Steve shared a worried glance with Thor before the king's blue eye rested on Loki.

"You can't possibly assume that Loki would be fighting you alone." Banner spoke up, walking down the steps with Valkyrie at his heels, her dragon fang drawn. They came to a stop in the space between the Aesir brothers and Stark.

"Of course not." Corvus waved a clawed hand. "Someone has to entertain my wife and our comrade while I do what is necessary."

"And what is necessary?" Tony asked.

"I thought you'd never ask!" It was Maw who spoke, seemingly delighted as he stepped up to Corvus' side. "Our dear Proxima deposited a gift of my own design into your teammate during our first encounter." The heroes looked to Loki, who shared their mortified expressions, but they remained silent as they turned back. "This gift has a specific purpose and, while I will not tell you why, I will tell you what." The smile faded from his creepy face. "It will feed on your magic, sorcerer prince. Draining you until there is nothing left."

Loki caught Thor's grave expression before he turned his gaze back to the crazy subject in front of him. It all made sense now. The pain only happened after he had used his powers. How could he have been so blind?

"Why are you telling us this?" Steve argued, looking back to the trickster for a mere fraction of a second. "Wouldn't it have been better for us to not know?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Maw shrugged flippantly. "Still, I have even more to offer. My pet's mission will not be easily thwarted. It will remain until there is not magic left to absorb _or_ until the prince finds his way to where his magic is needed."

"So, let me get this straight," Stark lowered his hands so the thrusters could push him from the landing, "either...he waits to die or comes to you so you can kill him?"

"Precisely."

"Yea, I'm going to have to go with option C on this one," Thor released Loki and pushed him back to shield him while Stark spoke, preparing for the battle, "which is where the Avengers- that's us - kick your alien asses all over this tower, go inside to carve out whatever you implanted in my friend over there, destroy it, and have a few drinks while we watch The Voice. Sound good, guys?"

"I like this plan." Steve agreed, ready to charge in, even without his shield.

Chaos unfolded in seconds. Proxima turned her attention to both Steve and Tony while Maw chose to engage Valkyrie and Banner, whose skin was a green tinge but not growing to tear through his clothing. Corvus stalked through the middle of the battle, spinning his glaive as he approached Thor. The thunderer was keeping Loki shielded behind him, regardless of the younger god's weak protests. Loki had no desire to face his torturer, but he was also a prince of Asgard. Furthermore, contrary to his current position, he _did_ have pride.

"You heard them, brother! You cannot use magic!" Thor was forcing Loki back, toward the steps that led to the door. "You need to run."

"I won't run like a _coward_! I have more skills than that of socerery, you oaf!" But oh, how he wanted to run. He truly did.

"You mean the daggers that we have not yet retrieved from the arena?" Well, Thor had him there. "Go, Loki! As your king, I command it!" With a snarl, Loki obeyed. He spun on a heel and began to ascend the stairs. Thor's eye took on its eerie white glow, streaks of lightning encompassing him as he watched Corvus eye his little brother's retreat. "Your battle is with me, demon."

"I believe you're wrong on that account, your majesty."

The hulk roared in the background, giant green hands clawing at his head. Maw was standing idly a few paces away, hands poised behind his back. Thor wondered if the man had ever even threw a punch these past few minutes.

"Hey, big guy." Valkyrie was in a fighting stance as the Hulk's side, dragon fang pointed toward Maw even as she kept her gaze on the giant. "You okay?"

"Kill her." Maw ordered levelly.

Valkyrie straightened with a confused glance toward the enemy. She didn't have enough time to look back to her comrade before she was thrown through the glass windows of the building to slam against a wall inside. She fell to the floor in a heap.

"Now, the king." Maw's face twisted into a sneer as he pointed to Thor. Corvus gave a wink and vanished from the Aesir's sight just as Hulk came barreling toward him.

Loki paused at the top of the stairs and looked down at the commotion. It was taking all he had not to return and help.

"Loki." Corvus greeted coolly, now between the prince and the door. He leveled his glaive just in front of the trickster's face.

"You won't kill me." Loki stated matter-of-factly. "Maw said it. My magic is needed somewhere."

"Oh, I have no intention of killing you." Corvus tilted the glaive and sliced it across Loki's cheek. Before the blood could even trickle to his jawline, the wound closed. With a rather indignant cry, Loki stumbled and cradled his midsection with both arms. "I am only here to kickstart the process."

" _Damnit_ ," Loki hadn't even taken that into consideration. If they could hurt him, torture him, his magic would begin his accelerated healing automatically. It would take even more magic to suppress the healing. He was completely at a loss.

"I've seen that look before, though I've barely had to work for it this time." Corvus gloated. "You're realizing there is no way out of this. You could fight me...with magic. Or you could allow me to conquer you and then you'd heal...with magic." The sharp tip of the glaive pierced Loki's chin, forcing him to look at his enemy. "Face it, sorcerer. There is nothing to be done."

"Don't be so cocky." Came a familiar voice to the right. An arrow Loki didn't even see coming was now protruding from Corvus' thick head armor. Not a fatal wound but at least a distraction so the prince could think. His magic came to life, barreling out from him to throw Corvus through the glass door.

Loki crumbled to his knees and held up a hand as Barton and Romanoff started to leap from the back of the of the quinjet to his aid. "Help...help the others." He panted through the waves of pain. He heard the aircraft move as he struggled to his feet and stumbled through the newly created doorway to tower over the recovering Corvus.

The trickster grinned. "If I'm going to die anyway, I may as well go out killing you."


End file.
